Picket fence



J. E. cusAcK Dec; 11, 1962 PICKET FENCE Filed March 29, 1961 uiH'JL'I-L'IL'HUUULI rim/Imam? 5 l INVENTOR. J05PH [DIV/A FUIAOI BY MAW 3,067,985 PICKET FENCE Joseph Edwin Cusack, Haddontield, NA, assignor to Westmoreland Metal Mtg. (10., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 99,239 7 Claims. (Cl. 25622) This invention relates to picket fences, and more particularly, to adjustable picket fences.

A plurality of picket fences have been proposed heretofore. Such picket fences are made from solid materials and are not adjustable. As used hereinafter, an adjustable picket fence is one wherein the rails are capable of being disposed at a plurality of angles with respect to the pickets. In this manner, an adjustable picket fence is one which can be utilized on level ground or on a sloping surface. While adjustable fences have been proposed heretofore, they have not been of the picket type utilizing hollow pickets, cross-rails, and end posts.

The picket fence of the present invention is composed of hollow pickets, cross-rails and end posts of galvanized sheet metal having a vinyl coating thereon. In order not to damage the vinyl coating, the picket tence of the present invention is capable of being mechanically assembled at the location where it is to be installed. In order to obtain the desirable aesthetic effect of a picket fence, it is necessary for the pickets to extend through the cross-rails with the ends of the pickets terminating at a point spaced from the cross-rails.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel adjustable picket fence.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel picket fence having hollow pickets and crossrails adjustably connected together.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a picket fence having hollow pickets and crossrails adjustably connected together and coated with a decorative vinyl coating.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel picket fence which is mechanically interconnected and capable of being assembled at the location wherein the fence is to be installed.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a fence section of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 in FIGURE 1 and drawn on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view, partly in section, showing a portion of a picket and a portion of a cross-rail.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional View of a corner post.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a fragment of a picket.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 an adjustable picket fence designated generally as 19.

The picket fence 10 comprises end posts 12 and 14 having an upper crossrail i6 and a lower cross-rail 18 extending therebetween. The upper cross-rail 16 is Patented Dec. 11, 1962 identical with the lower cross-rail 13. Accordingly, only one of the cross-rails need be described in detail.

The cross-rail 16 is hollow and includes a bottom wall 20, parallel side Walls 22 and 24, and a top wall 26. The side walls 22 and 24 of the upper cross-rail 16 are perpendicular with respect to the bottom wall 20 and the top wall 26. The bottom wall 29 and the top wall 26 of the cross-rail 16 are provided with aligned apertures 28 and 30 at spaced points therealong. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 4, the apertures 28 and 3% are elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the rail 16 with the aperture 3t) being substantially longer than the aperture 28.

A plurality of pickets 32 are adapted to extend through the aligned apertures in the cross-rails 16 and 313 as shown more clearly in FIGURE 2. All of the pickets 32 are identical. Accordingly, only one such picket need be described in detail. Each of the pickets 32 are hollow and rectangular in transverse cross-section.

Each of the pickets 32 is providedwith aligned apertures 34 adjacent to but spaced from the uppermost end of the picket. Likewise, each of the pickets 32 is provided with aligned apertures 36 adjacent to but spaced from the lowermost end of the picket. The upper crossrail 16 is provided with aligned apertures 38 at spaced points therealong. The lower cross-rail I8 is provided with aligned apertures 4d at spaced points therealong. The spacing of the aligned apertures 38 and 40 coincide with one another along the length of the rails 16 and 18.

A bolt 42 having a head 44 and threads on the other end extends through the aligned apertures 38 in the upper cross-rail 16. An internally threaded nut 46 having the appearance of the head 44 cooperates with the threads on the end of the bolt 42. A bolt 42, similar to bolt 42 cooperates with the lower cross-rail 18 in a similar manner.

As shown more clearly in FIGURES 2 and 3, the apertures 34 and 36 are substantially longer and wider than the transverse thickness of the bolts 42 and 42. Also, it is to be noted that the shortest distance between the apertures 34- and is identical with the shortest distance between the aligned apertures 38 and 40. Accordingly, the bolt 42 is in abutting contact with the lower edge of the aligned apertures 34 in the picket 32. Also, the bolt 412 is in abutting contact with the upper edge of the aligned apertures 36 in the picket 32.

The ends of the cross-rails l6 and I8 extend into the hollow end posts 12 and 14. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 6, the hollow end post 12 is provided with an aperture 43. The aperture 43 has dimensions slightly larger than the transverse dimension of the cross-rail received therein. The end of the cross-rail 16 need not be fixedly secured to the end post 12. However, a pin (not shown) may extend through a wall of the end post 12 to lock the cross-rails with respect to the end post 12.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 7, the exterior peripheral surface of the picket 32 is provided with a decorative vinyl coating 52. The disclosure in FIGURE 7 is merely for illustrative purposes. Each of the crossnails, pickets and end posts are provided with a corresponding decorative vinyl coating. In like manner, the head 44- on the bolts and the nuts 46 are provided with a decorative vinyl coating. The vinyl coating may be applied by dipping, spraying, etc.

The picket fence of the present invention is designed so as to be mechanically assembled at the location where it is to be installed. The assembly and use of the picket fence of the present invention is as follows:

If a fence section as shown in FIGURE 1 is to be installed, the end posts 112 and 14 will be constructed as shown in FIGURE 6. If more than one fence section is to be installed, the posts intermediate the end posts will be provided with ali ned apertures comparable to aperture 48. An end post, such as end post 12 is fixedl secured to the supporting surface. One end of the cross-, rails 16 and 18 are extended into the apertures 48 of the end post. The other end of the rails 16 and 18 are then inserted into apertures corresponding to aperture 48 in a second end post. Thereafter, the second end post is fixedly secured to the supporting surface. The end posts may be secured to the same supporting surface at the same or different level thereof as a result of the structural interrelationship between the cross-rails 16 and 18 and the pickets 32.

When the end posts have been fixedly secured with the cross-rails 16 and 18 extending therebctween and supported thereby, the pickets 32 are then assembled to the cross-rails 16 and 18. The pickets 3-2 are individually inserted through the aligned apertur..s 2 8 and 3% in each of the cross-rails 16 and 18 at spaced points therealong. The apertures 28 and 34 have a width slightly greater than the width of the pickets 32. As shown in FIG URE 2, there is very little clearance between the edges of the apertures 23 and 39 and the side walls of the pickets 32. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, the end walls of the pickets 32 are spaced slightly from the end edges of the aperture 28.

When the aligned apertures 34 and 36 in the pickets 32 are aligned with the apertures 38 and 4%), respectively, the bolts 42 and 42 are inserted through their respective apertures as shown more clearly in PEGURES 2 and 5. The remaining pickets are assembled in like manner.

Accordingly, it will be seen that the picket fence section 19 of the present invention has been completely as sembled at the location where the fence section is to be installed in a completely mechanical manner thereby not damaging the vinyl coating on each element of the fence section. The structural interrelationship between the pickets 32 and the cross-rails 16 and i3 enables one end post to be located in a plane higher than the plane of the other end post. As shown more clearly in FIG- URES l and 3, the cross-rails 16 and 18 may assume the phantom positions while the pickets 32 remain upright with respect to the supporting surfae In order to accommodate the adjustability of the rails 36 and 38, the distance between the ends of the aperture 30 is substantially greater than the distance between the end walls of the pickets 32 when viewing the pickets 32 in crosssection.

Since the distance between the apertures 34 and 36 of the pickets 32 is substantially equal to the distance between the aligned apertures 38 and 4% in the cross-rails 16 and 18, respectivey the pickets 32 cannot :be manipulated in a direction corresponding to their longitudinal axis. In other words, there is no relative movement between the pickets 32 and the cross-rails 16 and 18 in a direction toward or away from the supporting surface. This precludes the possibility of the fence section 10 of the present invention being a source of noise by children playing thereon. Since there is very little clearance between the side edges of the apertures 28 and 30 and the side edges of the pickets 32, there is very little relative movement between the pickets 32 and the rails 16 and 18 in this direction.

As seen more clearly in FIGURE 3, the size of the apertures 34 and 36 is sufficient to accommodate the adjustability of the rails in and 13 with respect to the pickets 32. In this regard, when the rails 16 and I3 assume the phantom position shown in FIGURE 3, the bolts 42 and 42' will assume their corresponding positions shown in phantom in FIGURE 3.

While the present invention is adapted to be mechanically assembled at the location where it is to be installed, it will be obvious that the present invention may be assembled at the factory and shipped to the installation site. Since the present invention is a picket fence wherein each of the pickets extends through the cross-rails, it wiil 4 be obvious that the fence of the present invention has no front side and rear side. In other words, the fence made in accordance with the present invention appears to be the same regardless of which side the fence is viewed from.

The head 44 on the bolt 42 and the nut 46 cooperate with the rails so as to simulate a riveted relationship. The aligned apertures 34, 36, 38 and 46 are concealed from view. Accordingly, the manner in which the present invention is assembled is not apparent and will provide a fence which is substantially tamperproof.

While the cross-rails 16 and 13 are preferably hollow, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the cross-rails may be solid. If the cross-rails are solid, it will be appreciated that the corresponding points on the apertures 28 and .30 will be interconnected so as to form a single aperture.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a picket fence comprising parallel cross-rails rectangular in cross section and having aligned apertures at spaced points therealong, the area of each aperture on an upper surface of said rails being less than the area of the corresponding apertures on the lower surface of each rail, a plurality of pickets, each picket extending through aligned apertures in each rail, the ends of the apertures in the lower surface of each rail limiting the extent to which the pickets may rotate with respect to the longitu dinal axis of the rails, and means including said apertures interconnecting said pickets and rails for selectively adjusting the angle between the longitudinal axes of said rails and pickets said means including a discrete member for each picket, each member extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rails.

2. In a picket fence in accordance with claim I wherein said means includes at least one aperture in said pickets, a bolt extending through the aperture in each of said pickets, the aperture in said pickets being substantially greater in area than the transverse dimensions of said bolts, and each bolt extending through opposite sides of one of said rails.

3. In a picket fence in accordance with claim 1 wherein each picket has first and second aligned apertures, a bolt extending through the first aperture in each picket and aligned apertures in one of said parallel rails, and a bolt extending through said second apertures and aligned apertures in another of said parallel rails.

4. In a picket fence in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first and second apertures in each picket are elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of its respective picket, the distance between the periphery of said bolts being substantially equal to the distance between said first and second apertures.

5. In a picket fence comprising a pair of parallel crossrails having aligned apertures at spaced points therealong, a plurality of pickets, each picket extending through aligned apertures in each cross-rail, said pickets and rails having an exterior vinyl coating, and means interconnecting said pickets and rails for selectively adjusting the angle between the longitudinal axes of said rails and pickets, said means including a discrete member for each picket, each member extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rails.

6. In a picket fence comprising a pair of parallel crossrails having apertures at spaced points therealong, the area of each aperture being greater on a lower surface of each rail than on an upper surface of each rail, a plurality of spaced pickets, each picket extending through an aperture in each rail, end posts having an aperture for receiv ing an end of each rail which is larger in cross section than each rail so that the rails may pivot with respect thereto, each end of each rail extending into one of said posts, the ends of the apertures in the lower surface of each rail limiting the extent to which the pickets may rotate with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rails, and means interconnecting said rails with said pickets and end posts for selectively adjusting the angle between the longitudinal axes of said rails, pickets and end posts.

7. In a picket fence comprising hollow parallel rails rectangular in cross section and having aligned apertures at spaced points therealong, the area of each aperture in a top wall of each rail being less than the area of the aperture in a bottom wall of each rail, a plurality of hollow pickets, each picket extending through an aperture in the bottom and top Walls of each rail, bolts extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rails interconnecting said pickets and rails for selectviely adjusting the angle between the longitudinal axes of said rails and pickets, each picket having an aperture through which one of said bolts extends, the picket aperture being substantially larger in size than the bolts, and the angle between the pickets and rails being limited by contact between the bolts and edge of the picket apertures and by contact between the pickets and an edge of the aperture in the bottom wall of each rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,322 La Clair Dec. 25, 1934 2,218,953 Gustafson Oct. 22, 1940 2,870,996 Helt Jan. 27, 1959 2,883,159 Esmay Apr. 21, 1959 

